Yes

No

While in converstion with an ASM the other day i encountered an interesting point of view...

Other than chief fire officer, what is the role of an RSM and just what is he accountable for to justify his position?

He doesn't run the mess, the PMC does.
He doesn't assign SNCO/WO duties, and if he does it's not exactly taxing.
Discipline is mostly dealt with by the CSMs.
Security in many camps is either shared with other units or a MOD plod/MPGS responsibilty.
He commands nobody - the SSA and a typist don't count.
He doesn't sign for anything other than what's in his office.

Just what does he do? Or is it a case he exists because he alsways has existed.

Now before you RSMs start baying for blood and hunting me down, I don't have an anti-RSM agenda or a particular one that I want to annoy. Just take five minutes to look at your job (if you are an RSM) and compare it to to the jobs of many other WO1s and quite a lot of WO2s and then you can open fire...

I never occurred to me that an RSM was anything other than a vital figure in a Regiment. Value quite clear etc. A major role, representing the views of the Mess to the CO and keeping the weaker sort of Adj up to scratch, as well as doing all the other stuff in the job description.

One thing that did strike me as a nause was the increasing trend for RSMs to pick up LE commissions - which tended to put a bit of a damper on their willingess to go head-to-head with idiot COs. Who can blame them for keeping one eye on their careers?

Perhaps RSMs should, by definition, not be commissionable - they could be paid a lot more money in compensation - and non-technical LEs could be selected from WO2s, thus leaving WO1 to technical and trade posts and a "super-WO1" to the various RSM/GSM etc appointments.

I have met many RSMs who were vital figure-heads, instilled discipline, looked out for the soldiers' interests and ensured that the regt looked (and ran) like a professional unit.

However, it has also been my misfortune to meet one or two who did none of the above and let the entire team down. In the case of these individuals, I would rather have done without - or seen them sacked!

Asking 'whats the point of an RSM' is akin to civy companies rationalizing various posts to streamline etc. As most have said above, the RSM's 'on paper' job spec is actually rather small. It's his position in the unit, the percieved power (he sets the example all should follow) his experience and his link from 'other ranks' to Officers that is the all important job spec. Can you quantify 'The Regimental Family' on an accounts sheet? I'd say no.

Agree with welly head. The perfect RSM would be Harry Andrews as portrayed in 'The Hill'!

In my opinion a RSM should be big, scary and totally inmune to logic. They are the unmovable object that keeps the mess together, if you have a good RSM, it goes that you have a good Mess and if you've got a good Mess, then you'll have a good unit. It also goes vice verse.